Copyright gives owners the right to exclusively control, make use of and profit from their creative works.

It protects literature, art, music, dramatic works, sound recordings, photographs, software, databases, films and radio and television broadcasts. Copyright does not protect the idea, just how the idea is expressed. For example, a diagram showing how to fold an origami crane can be protected by copyright, but not the method of folding that origami crane.

<aside> 💡 In the UK, copyright is an automatic protection which starts as soon as a qualifying work is created. There is no official registration and no fees to pay.

</aside>

Copyright in the UK usually lasts for the lifetime of the creator, plus 70 years after their death. Copyright means that the owner can stop other people from:

• copying the work;
• distributing copies to the public;
• adapting the work;
• communicating the work to the public (for example, by broadcasting it or putting it on the internet);
• renting/lending copies to the public; and
• performing the work in public. Please see here for further information on copyright.

Next up: Designs